Acomplia Side Effects: The Story You Must Read
UPDATE: May 2007. The drug has been re-named Zimulti in the US.
UPDATE Jun 13 2007: An FDA advisory panel of outside experts unanimously recommended that the regulatory agency not approve the novel weight-loss drug for sale in the United States. It is unlikely that this drug will be approved before 2010 (if at all).
UPDATE July 1 2007: Sanofi has now withdrawn it's application for approval in the USA.
Background
Rimonabant (brand name Acomplia) has been pitched as the blockbuster weight loss drug of the decade. The company manufacturing the drug, Sanofi-Aventis believes that sales will reach $5.2 billion per year by 2010. That is a staggering amount of money.
Investors are getting swept up in the buzz, and desperate consumers are falling over themselves to get an opportunity to try the drug. However it is currently before the FDA awaiting approval - which some believe may come during early/mid 2006. Acomplia blocks cannabinoid (CB) receptors in the brain. The CB receptors are believed to play a role in controlling food consumption and dependence / habituation. People often refer to the cannabis-induced "munchies" or hunger pangs. Acomplia attempts to do the opposite.
What is an Acceptable Risk?
In the scramble for profits and quick-fix obesity solutions - no one has bothered to raise questions about the long term side effects. It is up to the health authorities to determine what is an "acceptable risk" based on the data from the clinical trials conducted recently.Carol (not her real name) knows about the risk - and it is anything but acceptable. I recently corresponded with Carol, who participated in a Rimonabant drug trial.
With a long history of dieting, Carol began the trial at a weight of 13 stone 1 pound (183 pounds). With a daily dosage of 20mg, Carol noticed two immediate reactions; She was less hungry, and she became very tearful and depressed. She began to lose a pound or two per week (without being on a diet or exercise program).
Psychosis?
However things went from bad to worse. "I also felt nauseous quite often and in a period of 3 months vomited 6 times. As the trial progressed I became more and more depressed. I felt suicidal most of the time." In her desperation to lose weight, Carol stayed on the drug, but slowly descended into psychosis "I couldn’t sleep and when I did I had terrible nightmares". Carol experienced more graphic symptoms of psychosis (such as self-inflicted violence). She has since been on anti-psychotic medication for over a year, and has gradually improved."I lost my health and happiness because of these pills and experienced the most wretched time of my life". Carol also added "My relationship with my partner never recovered from him having to care for me and we split up at the end of last year."
To add insult to injury, the 20 pounds that Carol lost in the trial came back on within 3 months. Carol reports that her appetite "came back with a vengeance".
Not Alone
According to the results of the 1st year of clinical trials, patients taking the 20mg dosage of Rimonabant reported 50% more adverse events leading to discontinuation, than those in the placebo group. Of course Carol's experiences must be kept in perspective - most people had no adverse side affects.
» Note the increase in psychiatric disorders as dosage increases
What is an Acceptable Risk?
Is even one persons terrible experiences an "acceptable risk"? Maybe Acomplia will end up being prescribed to only the most "at-risk" obese patients - but who decides where that line lies?Cover Up?
You will not read about Carol's experiences in any published paper. The data from the 2004 trial that Carol participated in has not (yet?) been made public. Sanofi funded the trial and holds the results.There Will Never Be a Perfect Weight Loss Drug
In amongst the flurry of hype and expectation over this new "wonder drug", someone needs to take a long hard look at the whole concept of miracle weight loss cures. For the sake of 20 pounds of weight, Carol damaged her mental health, and her relationships.Carol strongly cautions anyone with any history of depression to be "very careful" about taking Acomplia/Rimonabant - "Being thinner is not worth screwing up your mental health."
$5.2 billion dollars estimated per year. With that sort of money being generated, who will care if a few people lose their minds?
Sanofi-Aventis "Because Health Matters"
2005 Worldwide Pharma Sales: 27,311 Million Euros (33 Billion USD).
100,000 employees worldwide (including a sales force of 33,000).
Present in more than 100 countries.
It is possible that Acomplia may be marketed as a Cardiovascular medication. US health insurers generally cover cardiovascular medication.
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I promise to find the creatures that invented these drugs use Mr.Saro's money and drag these people one by one into court. Oh you folks that are on it now and even think your going to make a excuse for your loss. Your thinking is wrong. Every person who has even a whiff of this has been compromised for life! Yeah I have seen first hand the hell you all are going thru. In reality it must be like lsd without pictures for life. A prozac like failure. Mental illness costs the USA a president our congress they are living the failure of these so bad influences. God help us.
ReplyI live in Mexico and was on Acomplia for 9 months, they have recently taken it out of the market because of the reported effects. I personally experienced some of these but I thought they were stress related (work) altough I never felt like these before. It ended up affecting my job performance and even my personal relationships. If I had know, I might have not done it.
ReplyBBC Report ; 23 October 2008
ReplyThe European drugs watchdog is recommending doctors do not prescribe the anti-obesity drug rimonabant, also known as Acomplia. The European Medicines Agency has said the risk of serious psychiatric problems and even suicide are too high.
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BBC Report , 5 November 2008
With the removal of the anti-obesity pill rimonabant, also known as Acomplia, from the market amid safety concerns, fewer drug options exist.
I got mine from 4rx.com started on wed nov 08 it works for me the only thing that I'm experiencing is lack of sleep and yes i did felt sick but that's my fault because I didn't have time to eat my breakfast but once I had something to eat it's helping me to stop craving between meals and eat less for me to lose weight. I have just ordered another batch of tablets. I haven't gone into depression or feeling low it's maybe because I'm busy and not thinking about it. But what I'm more worried about lack of sleep at night I do catch up on sleep during the day, more then I should. But for me that's not too unusual because sometimes during the day I do not all the time about 5 or 10 mins sleep then I'm fine and I get on what ever I have to do. what I also find that during the day I find it's working I'm eating less but when it comes to dinner I'm finding that there is no change in it. It is only one tablet a day. Could I take one in the morning and and one in the afternoon so I'm taking two tablets a day has anyone done this if so plz let me know.
ReplyAs an addictions counselor specializing in eating disorders, I see the fallout from diet pills all too often. The question is not really do they work or not work. The question is, how much responsibility are people willing to take for their own health and well being. In our society, the answer is clear: why bother learning about proper diet and nutrition when we can take a pill and make it all go away. Now, there are times when medications can be very beneficial, and there have been a few approved weight loss treatments that can successfully complement proper diet, exercise and nutritional education. But, in general, it is true that when faced with either months or years of struggling to lose weight vs. popping a miracle pill and waiting for the advertising to prove itself, most people will buy the meds and pray for those results. And...continue to eat and eat, especially when the results do not happen and depression sets in. As I have said, I have seen this happen so often that it almost feels like an epidemic. A sad epidemic.
ReplyI m taking one tablet of slimona as advised by doctor , after completing for a month I am facing heavy sleep , actually it is not good sleep at all, and my next day also start with drowsiness , dullness and heaviness symptoms , I do not know is it because of slimona tablets. my weight is as is 105 kg but no improvoement at all/
ReplyAcomplia is a new miraculous multifunctional diet pill. It has the dual advantage as it is said that it can help people both lose weight and quit smoking. orderdrugs24.com/?product=acomplia Acomplia (Rimonabant) is the first in a new class of therapeutic agents called Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Blockers (CB1).
ReplyAcomplia is used in the treatment of obesity and related conditions.
JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE IN THE US HAS ORDERED THIS WITHOUT A RX ONLINE AND GOT THE DRUG SUCCESSFLY? IF SO WHERE DID YOU ORDER IT FROM? THE WEBSITE I ORDERED IT FROM ONLY CHARGED ME 64 DOLLARS FOR 60 CT PILLS, AND IF I 'M CORRECT THAT SHOULD BE A TWO MONTH SUPPLY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR OPINIONS
ReplyI got my generic acomplia here in the U.S. without a prescription online at easyprescription.us
Replyit was 70 dollars for a 3 month supply. Received them in about a week. Hope that helps!
I ordered Acomplia on line from the UK over a year ago without a prescription. I live in the US. However, I became concerned about all of the negative information so I didn't take it. I stopped eating potato chips, white rice, white potatos, hamburgers & ice cream and have lost 50 lbs in the last 6 months. No special diet, just lots of vegetables, fresh deli meats, fresh fruit and no sugar jello. It was actually easy and I didn't have to worry about any side effects.
ReplyI took Acomplia for nearly a year and lost 85 pounds. I learned a new way of eating and living and pay attention to everything that goes in my mouth. Opposition to Acomplia comes from Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc., and the others in the billions of dollars a year weight loss industry. With Acomplia, who needs them?
ReplyI am so happy that this dangreous pill has been withdrown from the market. I was prescribed acomplia by my doctor. I had it for only 28 days. I lost 12 kilos. two weeks later suddenly I became paralised ! later on the diagnose was Guillin Barre Syndrom (GBS). apprently the pill weaken the autoimmune sytem and caused the myelities(demylation of prepheral system ).
Replyaccomplia
Replyhas been withdrawn in the uk and rightly so imho.
what the statistics above dont say is that 5 people committed suicide in the trials.
i took them for three months a year ago and started to have suicidal thoughts and still do. i cant rember a day where i dont cry. was i a head case before taking the drugs, i dont think so i had taken antidepresants for one month 18 months perviously when my mum died at a piont i was low but wasnt thinking about ending it all i just wanted to controll my emotions. since ending accomplia i have had counselling and prozac.
i feel my life has been ruined by this drug. when you spend longer at work think of ways to kill yourself than working its not good i no longer what to spend time alone.
what are the long term side effects of this? how long will i feel like this? i wish i knew
lots of people share there good experiences of the drug and i am pleased it worked for you. i would be keen to know if others had continuing side effects.
I just ordered Acomplia online. Last year (2008) I took Chantix for 3 months to quit smoking. Just as with Acomplia, Chantix has caused psychiatric side effects. I was lucky to not have any side effects; other than not wanting to smoke! I'm hoping that I'll be lucky again with the Acomplia.
Replystupid question......can you take anti-depressants WITH Acomplia??
Reply